Pool materials
Residential inground pools are built three ways: a vinyl liner over a steel or polymer frame, a one-piece fiberglass shell, or sprayed concrete (gunite or shotcrete). In 2026 This Old House puts installed cost at $130-$240 per square foot for vinyl, $175-$330 for fiberglass, and $200-$350 for concrete. Concrete offers unlimited shape but the highest lifetime cost; fiberglass is the cheapest to maintain; vinyl is cheapest to build but needs periodic liner replacement.
Vinyl liner. Lowest entry price, at $130-$240 per square foot installed per This Old House, or $35,000-$80,000 for a typical build per Thursday Pools. The liner is a consumable: Thursday Pools puts replacement at $3,000-$7,500 every 5 to 15 years. Ten-year maintenance runs $11,000-$17,000 per This Old House.
Fiberglass. A factory-made shell dropped into an excavation, $175-$330 per square foot installed. Thursday Pools' dealer survey puts small shells (under 26 feet) around $74,000, medium (27-34 feet) around $109,000 and large (35 feet and up) near $113,000. It is the cheapest of the three to run: $5,000-$15,000 over ten years. The trade-off is that you choose from a catalog of shapes and sizes.
Concrete or gunite. Any shape you can draw, and the highest cost at both ends: $200-$350 per square foot to build, $50,000-$120,000 or more per Thursday Pools, and $27,000-$40,000 over ten years per This Old House. Expect acid washing at $300-$1,000 every 3 to 5 years and resurfacing at $8,000-$10,000 every 10 to 15 years. Those are not defects - they are the normal service schedule for a concrete pool.
Choosing pools materials
The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.
- Match material to how long you will stay If you plan to move in under ten years, the lower maintenance load of fiberglass matters less than the build price. If this is your forever home, concrete's resurfacing cycle will show up more than once.
- Fiberglass shells have a delivery constraint The shell arrives in one piece on a truck and needs crane or equipment access. Confirm your lot can physically take it before you fall in love with a model.
- Ask about the liner warranty separately Read the actual liner document rather than a salesperson's summary - coverage, proration and exclusions vary and only the contract counts.
- Budget the concrete service schedule up front Acid washing every 3-5 years and resurfacing every 10-15 years are predictable expenses. Put them in the plan rather than treating them as surprises.
- Don't choose on square-foot price alone Ranges overlap heavily. A well-specified vinyl pool can cost more than a small fiberglass one; compare complete quoted scopes.
All pools materials
Fiberglass Pool Shells
Gunite and Shotcrete
Vinyl Pool Liners
Pool Plaster and Aggregate Finish
Pool Tile
Pool Coping
Pool Deck Materials
Salt Chlorine Generators
Variable Speed Pool Pumps
Cartridge and DE Filters
Pool Heat Pumps
Gas Pool Heaters
Automatic Pool Covers
Safety Pool Covers
Where these figures come from
Sources last checked
- This Old House - Inground Pool Cost (2026 Guide) · retrieved 2026-07-25
- Thursday Pools - Inground Pool Cost in 2026 · retrieved 2026-07-25
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